Manchester United are set to complete the signing of young Liverpool striker Vincent Joseph after he agreed to sign a scholarship deal at Old Trafford, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Man United are INEOS have been in overdrive attempting to strengthen Michael Carrick’s first-team squad as the club prepares to participate in the Champions League again for the first time in three seasons.

The Red Devils have completed one deal to sign Ederson from Atalanta as they plot a major midfield rebuild, with Casemiro leaving the club and Manuel Ugarte likely to join the Brazilian through the Old Trafford exit door if the club get their way.

United have had to turn their back on top midfield targets like Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson and Newcastle United’s Sandro Tonali because of the fees involved, while their ‘dream’ Casemiro replacement Aurelien Tchouameni currently looks unlikely to leave Real Madrid.

As well as bolstering their first-team, club chiefs will also be looking to secure some of the best young players around for their youth sides, as they did with the likes of Sekou Kone, Chido Obi, Diego Leon and Cristian Orozco in recent years.

Now they are set to pull off another big transfer coup in the youth game.

Vincent Joseph Set to Join Man United

According to O’Rourke, posting on X, Liverpool and England Under-16 striker Vincent Joseph is now set to leave Anfield and join Manchester United.

The 16-year-old has agreed a scholarship deal at Old Trafford, as he looks to make the short trip across the north west in the coming weeks.

Joseph has caught the eye of United scouts after scoring eight goals in nine caps for the England U16 side, while he scored three goals in two matches at U18 level for Liverpool in March and April.

Man United Eyeing Senior Striker Deal

While it could depend on what happens with the futures of Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee this summer, United are considering bringing in a senior striker to help Benjamin Sesko in the summer transfer window.

Carrick has Bryan Mbeumo and Zirkzee who can start in the centre-forward position if Sesko doesn’t start, but if United want to compete strongly in the league and the Champions League then it would be no surprise if they looked to bring in a new centre-forward, and even more so if Zirkzee does leave.

Striker links haven’t been widespread so far this summer, but there have been links to Robert Lewandowski, Dusan Vlahovic, Victor Osimhen and Jean-Philippe Mateta of Crystal Palace this summer.

The former duo are available on free transfers, although Lewandowski has held talks with Chicago Fire over a move to the MLS.

Manchester United have reportedly offered West Ham United winger Crysencio Summerville a six-year contract after opening transfer talks, according to an Italian journalist.

Man United‘s early summer focus has been on rebuilding a midfield that has already lost Casemiro this summer, with Manuel Ugarte likely to join the Brazilian through the exit door after finding first-team minutes hard to come by under Michael Carrick last season.

Red Devils chiefs know they need to find the right support and players to complement England star Kobbie Mainoo in the engine room, and they have already reached a full agreement to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson, pending a medical.

United have since turned their attentions to trying to land recently-relegated West Ham midfielder Mateus Fernandes, who is in demand from some of the top clubs in Europe despite the fact his team dropped into the Championship.

The Irons are demanding a fee of around £85m for the 21-year-old, who is keen to link up with Portuguese compatriot Bruno Fernandes at Old Trafford, with United now needing to see if they can negotiate a better deal for them.

United have started to look at attacking options to boost Carrick’s squad too, with Fernandes’ teammate Summerville also of interest.

Man United Offer Summerville Six-Year Deal

via Reuters

It was reported earlier this week by the Telegraph that United were considering making a £120m double swoop on West Ham for Fernandes and Summerville as they look to land two of their top targets.

Now posting on X, one Italian journalist believes the negotiations over a move for Summerville are beginning to advance, as he claims that they have made the Netherlands international, who scored in his nation’s opening World Cup group game against Japan, a contract offer.

The Red Devils are said to have offered the former Leeds United man a five-year deal with the option of a further 12 months, as they look to tempt him into a move to Old Trafford.

As per the Telegraph, West Ham are said to value Summerville around the £50m mark following their relegation to the Championship.

Who Are United’s Other Left-Winger Targets?

via Reuters

GIVEMESPORT sources have maintained all summer that United are looking at bringing in a new left-sided attacker during this summer transfer window, especially if Marcus Rashford ends up completing a move away from Old Trafford.

The interest in Summerville is another nod to that information, while they also have an admiration for Morgan Rogers of Aston Villa.

The England international is attracting strong interest from Arsenal too, but United have two people at the club who know Rogers very well in Carrick and Jason Wilcox, who worked with the versatile forward at Middlesbrough and Manchester City respectively.

United have also been linked with moves for other left-sided wingers like Bazoumana Toure, Bradley Barcola and Rafael Leao, while there have also been strong links with Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall.

There could be big changes on the left flank at Old Trafford this summer then, as we await the club’s next moves in the market.

Every Premier League club has been ranked by how difficult their first five fixtures of the 2026/27 campaign are based on the stats, and it would appear Liverpool’s life under Andoni Iraola could be off to a flyer. Of course, it’s always difficult to predict how a team’s season will unfold, especially before a ball has even been kicked.

A club’s performances from the previous campaign, the quality of its squad and manager, and how kindly the fixture list falls can all offer clues. But the truth is, a week is a long time in football, let alone an entire summer. Transfer windows can change the landscape so dramatically that nobody can be completely sure how teams will fare when the new term gets underway.

Will Arsenal retain their title and continue laying the foundations of a dynasty under Mikel Arteta? What does life after Pep Guardiola look like for Manchester City? Or can a refreshed Tottenham side rise from the ashes and hit the ground running?

They are all fair questions to ponder as domestic football takes a back seat to the 2026 World Cup, with every club knowing that a positive start could set the tone for the season ahead, and Opta have put in the hard yards to work out which clubs have it easiest at the start based on opponents’ average rating.

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REUTERS/Peter Powell

Only two clubs have an easier start to the season than Liverpool, whose opponents have an average rating of 90.3/100. As fate would have it, the Reds once again begin their campaign away at Newcastle – the scene of last season’s dramatic 4-3 victory, when Rio Ngumoha struck a late winner. They then face Nottingham Forest and Fulham at Anfield, with a trip to Fulham sandwiched in between, before Iraola returns to Bournemouth for the first time since his departure last season in gameweek five.

Newcastle (89.9) have a slightly easier schedule on paper, helped in no small part by a home fixture against playoff winners Hull City in gameweek five. However, Manchester United (89.3) boast the most favourable opening run, with the Red Devils kicking off the season with back-to-back matches against newly promoted Hull City and Ipswich Town. The viral fan who vowed not to cut his hair until United win five matches in a row will be hoping a trip to the barbers is finally on the cards after a matchweek-three visit to Everton, before their city rivals make the short journey to Old Trafford a week later.

Rounding out this section are Brentford and Crystal Palace. Both clubs head into the campaign on the back of hugely successful seasons. Keith Andrews’ side mounted an unlikely push for Europa Conference League qualification, only to be pipped by Brighton on goal difference, while the Eagles won that very competition in Oliver Glasner’s final match in charge.

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As champions, Arsenal have the privilege of kicking off the new season at home to last season’s Championship winners, Coventry City, on Friday night. Trips to Chelsea and Sunderland that follow are far from straightforward, but the Gunners have already shown they possess the mentality to overcome whatever is thrown their way. Manchester City’s schedule has been given the same difficulty rating of 90.9, which is just 0.1 less favourable than Everton’s.

Nottingham Forest’s opponent rating of 91.1 has been driven up by away trips to both Liverpool and Aston Villa. As a result, Vitor Pereira will be desperate to bank points from their other three fixtures – Leeds United, Tottenham, and Coventry City at the City Ground – to avoid unwanted pressure from owner Evangelos Marinakis. The Greek businessman proved last season that he is not afraid to pull the trigger, cycling through four different head coaches in a managerial merry-go-round.

Aston Villa come in with the 11th-most difficult opening run of fixtures. A 176-mile trip to the south coast to face Brighton is no easy way to start the campaign, and things hardly get any easier with Arsenal visiting Villa Park in their second match.

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Chelsea, under Xabi Alonso’s guidance, face three away London derbies in their opening five fixtures. There is some comfort in the fact they will not have to travel far, while they have lost just three of their last 14 matches in the capital. However, Opta believes Arsenal, Fulham, and Brentford will provide a stern examination for the Spaniard as he looks to get his tenure off to a strong start.

Leeds United and Ipswich Town come next, with both clubs handed an opponent difficulty rating of 91.7. Fulham, meanwhile, find themselves ranked seventh after being dealt fixtures against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United in their first five outings. Just ahead of them are Hull City, whose only real breathing space comes in the form of a trip to fellow newcomers Coventry City in their third match of the campaign.

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Tottenham have been among the busiest clubs in the transfer market so far, and they will be hoping their new-look squad can hit the ground running despite an average opponent rating of 92.2. Brighton’s rating is 0.4 higher, with Chelsea, Arsenal, and Aston Villa all on the agenda in what promises to be a tricky start to a campaign that also includes the added challenge of juggling European football.

Coventry City, meanwhile, are bracing themselves for a baptism of fire in their first season back in the top flight since relegation from the Premier League in 2000/01. Trips to Arsenal and Man City – last season’s top two – make for a daunting introduction, and it is remarkable that their opening five fixtures are still not rated as difficult as those of two other clubs.

Second in the rankings are Sunderland, while the club handed the toughest start on paper is Bournemouth under new manager Marco Rose. Away trips to Man City and Newcastle are certainly not to be taken lightly, while home meetings with Everton and Liverpool mean a clash with Brentford stands out as their most favourable fixture. Even then, Andrews’ side have built a reputation for punching above their weight, meaning there is unlikely to be any room for error as Bournemouth look to avoid being thrown in at the deep end early on.